The next few days passed in a whirlwind of responsibilities for Gray. Her workload at Elara Memorial Hospital increased with Noah's transfer, yet she couldn't bring herself to regret the decision. His parents expressed their gratitude at every turn, their heartfelt words a reminder of why she pursued medicine. Still, amidst the daily grind, the question of Catherine lingered like a shadow over her mind.
Dale, however, seemed to occupy an entirely different space in her world. His demeanor had shifted subtly, and while he wasn't overtly warm, his biting sarcasm and cold indifference were notably absent. He continued to drive her to work each day, an act that initially baffled her but soon became routine. The silence in the car rides was heavy but not unbearable. It was... different.
One such morning, as the engine hummed quietly, Gray decided to break the silence. "You don't have to do this every day, you know," she said, her tone light but probing.
Dale glanced at her briefly before turning his attention back to the road. "I know."
"Then why are you?" she pressed, her curiosity outweighing her hesitation.
"Mom insisted," he replied, his voice clipped.
Gray arched a brow. "And since when do you listen to your mother without putting up a fight?"
Dale smirked slightly, the corner of his lips twitching. "Since it became less exhausting than arguing with her."
Gray rolled her eyes but let the subject drop. Something about his behavior nagged at her, though, and her instincts told her it had everything to do with that overheard conversation with Queen Amara. But she had more pressing matters to focus on.
---
At the hospital, Gray immersed herself in work. She had a meeting scheduled with Louise to discuss Noah's progress and a slew of patient rounds to complete. By midday, she felt like she'd hit her stride—until she received a call from Dr. Hale.
"Gray," his voice crackled through the phone, "I need you to come to my office. There's something you need to see."
Her heart skipped a beat. "Did you find something?"
"Just get here," he replied cryptically before hanging up.
The short drive to Aldeburgh Main was fraught with tension. Gray's mind raced through possibilities. What could Dr. Hale have discovered? Was it about Catherine? About her mother? The questions circled endlessly as she parked and made her way to his office.
When she entered, Dr. Hale was sitting at his desk, a folder in his hands. His expression was grave, and it sent a chill down her spine.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Dr. Hale motioned for her to sit before sliding the folder across the desk. "Before you open that, I need you to prepare yourself."
Gray swallowed hard, her fingers trembling slightly as she reached for the folder. "Just tell me," she said, her voice firmer than she felt.
"I had my team dig into Catherine's background, as you requested," he began. "They found records—scattered, incomplete—but enough to piece together a story. Catherine Matthews, formerly known as Athena Seraphine Montclair."
Gray froze, her breath catching in her throat. The name hit her like a lightning bolt. "That's my mother's name," she said hoarsely.
Dr. Hale nodded. "According to what we found, she was declared dead over fifteen years ago, following a car accident. But here's where it gets complicated. Hospital records from that time indicate that she was admitted under an alias. The injuries were extensive, and she was unresponsive for months. By the time she regained consciousness, she had no memory of her identity."
Gray's mind reeled, the room spinning around her. "You're saying... she didn't die?"
"It appears that way," Dr. Hale said gently. "But there's more. Her medical records indicate she was transferred to a private facility—likely by someone with resources and connections. From there, she vanished from official records, only to reappear years later under her current name."
Gray gripped the edge of the desk, her knuckles white. "Why would someone hide her? And how did she end up in Switzerland, living a normal life with a husband and children?"
Dr. Hale leaned forward, his expression grave. "I can't answer that yet, but the fact that she's alive changes everything. Gray, you've spent your life believing she was gone. Now you have a chance to find out the truth."
Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them away. "This is too much," she admitted, her voice breaking. "All this time, I've been chasing ghosts. And now..."
"And now," Dr. Hale interrupted gently, "you have something real to hold onto. But you need to decide what to do with it."
Gray nodded slowly, her thoughts a chaotic whirlwind. She closed the folder, unable to look at the documents any longer. "Thank you," she murmured. "I need time to process this."
Dr. Hale placed a comforting hand on hers. "Take all the time you need. But remember, you're not alone in this."
---
That evening, back at the Vaeloris Palace, Gray retreated to her room, clutching the folder like it was a lifeline. She couldn't bring herself to open it again, not yet. The weight of the revelations was suffocating, and she needed air.
Slipping out of the house unnoticed, she wandered through the sprawling gardens, her mind replaying Dr. Hale's words. Her mother was alive. Or at least, someone who looked and sounded exactly like her. The possibilities were endless, but so were the questions.
She found herself near the edge of the estate, where the gardens gave way to a dense forest. The quiet enveloped her, the only sound the rustling of leaves in the evening breeze. It was here that Dale found her.
"You're awfully good at disappearing," he remarked, startling her.
Gray turned to find him leaning casually against a tree, his arms crossed. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you," he said simply. "You didn't seem yourself at dinner. Figured you'd be out here brooding."
"I'm not brooding," she replied, though her tone lacked conviction.
Dale raised an eyebrow. "Could've fooled me."
Gray sighed, turning away from him. "It's nothing. Just... work stuff."
"Right," he drawled, clearly unconvinced. "Because you always wander into the woods when it's just 'work stuff.'"
She shot him a glare, but his smirk only deepened. "Why do you care?" she snapped. "I thought you enjoyed watching me suffer."
Dale's smirk faded, replaced by a rare sincerity. "I don't," he said quietly. "Not anymore."
The admission caught her off guard, and she studied him closely. For once, he seemed earnest, his usual walls lowered. "Why the change of heart?" she asked, her voice softer now.
He hesitated, his gaze dropping to the ground. "Let's just say I've realized some things. About you. About... everything."
Gray tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Care to elaborate?"
Dale sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Not yet. But for what it's worth, I'm sorry. For the way I've treated you. You didn't deserve it."
The sincerity in his voice struck a chord, and for the first time, Gray felt a flicker of understanding between them. "Thank you," she said simply.
They stood in silence for a while, the tension between them shifting into something unspoken but not unpleasant. Eventually, Dale broke the quiet.
"Whatever's bothering you," he said, his tone gentle, "you don't have to handle it alone. I know I haven't exactly been your biggest fan, but... I'm here. If you need someone."
Gray's chest tightened, the unexpected kindness threatening to undo her. She nodded, unable to find the words to respond.
As Dale turned to leave, Gray called after him. "Dale?"
He paused, glancing back at her.
"Thank you," she said again, this time with more meaning.
He gave her a small nod before disappearing into the shadows, leaving Gray alone with her thoughts—and a faint glimmer of hope.
---
The next day, Gray met with Queen Amara to update her on Dr. Hale's findings. The queen listened intently, her expression shifting from shock to determination as Gray recounted the details.
"This changes everything," Queen Amara said. "If Catherine truly is your mother, then we must act quickly. The longer we wait, the harder it will be to uncover the truth."
"I agree," Gray replied. "But we have to be careful. Whoever hid her all those years ago might still be watching."
Queen Amara nodded. "Leave it to me. I'll coordinate with my contacts and ensure everything is handled discreetly."
As Gray left the queen's office, she couldn't shake the feeling that her life was on the brink of an upheaval she couldn't yet comprehend. The truth was out there, waiting to be discovered. All she had to do was find it—and face whatever came next.